POLICE/COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING
MARCH 29TH 2017
Salinas, California
The Police/Community Advisory Committee convened at 6:03 PM in the Rotunda, City Hall.
Present:
Committee Chairperson Eric Petersen
Committee Member Richard Fors
Committee Member Deloris Scaife-Higgins
Committee Member Dwight Metcalfe
Committee Member Jose Mendoza
Committee Member Tom Lynch
Committee Member Will Franzell
Committee Member Linda Payne
Committee Member Neil Patel
Excused:
Committee Member Jose Medoza
Committee Member Melissa Sesma
Absent:
Committee Member Mary Hill
1) Pledge of Allegiance
2) Swearing In of New Committee Member
Neil Patel
3) Public Comment
Yolanda Hayes
Stephen Kennedy
4) Selection of New Vice Chairperson
Moved to March 29th, 2017 Meeting
5) Approval of Minutes for February Meeting
- Committee Member Lynch Motion
- Committee Member Scaife-Higgins Seconds
- All in favor, none opposed
- Committee Member Payne abstained
6) Chief’s Report
- Thanks to PCAC Committee Members for volunteering their time to this committee.
- Personnel and Training is doing very well, making great strides.
- Currently allowed 172 sworn officers.
- Currently at 135 sworn officers.
- Currently have 17 in the academy, 8 in San Jose and 9 in Monterey.
- 1 Academy Graduate about to be sworn in.
- This leaves 11 vacancies.
- PD will not begin to feel benefit of this group of officers until 9/17.
- Once hired, it is 6 months in academy and 16 weeks in FTO program.
- Since 2010, PD has had a 48% attrition rate of trainees.
- PD staff is currently looking at different ways to reduce that number.
- Trainees are going to peer support officers who are CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) trained officers as mentors to help them during first year.
- Currently officers are 55% White, 36% Hispanic, and 9% other.
- New Hires are 85% Hispanic and 15% White.
- New Hires are 4 Women and 13 Men.
- July 1st the PD will be authorized 10 more sworn positions, bringing number to 182.
- PD has SRO grant for 8 SRO positions that must be used or it will be lost.
- Going to use at least 4-5 SRO positions from that grant.
- Promoted 3 new Sergeants - Cameron Murphy, Steve Sparks, Stephen Craig.
o Lynch responded
o Payne responded
o Scaife-Higgins responded
o Metcalfe responded
o Patel responded
o Franzell responded
o Fors responded
o Petersen responded
o Stephen Kennedy (public) responded
o Yolanda Hayes (public) responded
o Margaret Serna-Bonetti (public) responded
o James Sang (public) responded
o Chief Fresé responded
7) Selection of Vice Chairperson
- Committee Member Fors volunteered.
- Committee Member Lynch volunteered.
- Chief Fresé will announce decision at April meeting.
8) Ideas for Retaining Officers
- Committee Member Patel - Neighborhood Officers, City Incentives for Officers to stay/live in City limits.
- Committee Member Payne - Contracts to keep Officers, incentives and a legally binding contract to keep them here for a certain amount of time.
- Stephen Kennedy (public) - Peer support is critical, good compensation, knowing employees and their needs.
- Maragret Serna-Bonetti - PD must have a force that is reflective of the community they serve. Need to train and keep up the training and support the Chief.
9) Future Agenda Items
- November/December Meeting
- COPS/DOJ Report
10) Committee Member Comments
Committee Member Patel - Number of 172 officer is artificial and too low. More like 250 officers for this city. Cameras are a good idea to help Police Department. SROs should not be forceful but should be mentors to the kids.
Committee Member Metcalfe - Murder rates cannot be compared with all other crime rates.
Committee Member Franzell - Thanks to Sgt. Johnson and neighborhood watch program. Nextdoor App is a great way to communicate what is happening in your neighborhood.
Committee Member Fors - City Council will be voting on whether or not to keep PCAC at 14 members or drop it down to 7. Secretary keep us updated on when the vote will be.
Committee Member Lynch - Reminder to other Committee Members that an ethics course is require through the City Clerk and ride-a-long as well. Wrote to my councilmember about reducing the number of PCAC.
Committee Chairperson Petersen - Promotion Ceremony was neat. Waited for ride-a-longs before, this is a busy city.
Meeting Adjourned at 1941 hours.